The following invention relates generally to hangers for supporting pipes in depending relationship from an overhead support structure having a interconnecting depending hanger rod.
More specifically, it is within the purview of the instant application to provide a hanger especially fabricated for industries such as pulp and paper plants, breweries, cheese plants, food processors, milk processors and pharmaceutical manufactures which are specifically designed to support steel, stainless steel, FRP, polyethylene, PVC and other similar piping materials. Formed from stainless steel, the hanger according to the instant invention is resistant to chemical attack in corrosive environments, and can be characterized in its intrinsic simplicity and ease in installation. Devices which are adapted to be secured in depending relation from a ceiling, joist, or other warehouse type of overhead support have been limited in their ability to quickly and easily releasably fasten the supporting hanger so that dissociation relative to a pipe can be quickly effected. In previously known types of hanger structures, devices have been provided which are fixed constrained to supporting beams of an overhead layer. These known prior art devices appear to be capable of classification in two general areas: those which have hanger extremities provided with sharpened pointed ends adapted to penetrate within joists, rafters, or the like made of wood or some other material capable of penetration, and those which coact with threaded rods suspended from other members on the ceiling.
The know prior art devices of the first type include the following patents: Kirk et al. U.S. Pat. No. 2,641,428; Benno U.S. Pat. No. 3,554,475 and Jones U.S. Pat. No. 4,266,745; those of the second type Habuda U.S. Pat. No. 4,019,705, Krahe U.S. Pat. No. 3,687,406.
The Kirk et al. patent allows free movement of the pipe by virtue of the disposition of a pair of supporting rollers 18, 19. Since this device has pointed ends 9, adapted to be received within joists or beams B, it is clear that the rollers are required so as to minimize the tendency of pipes which are actually disposed thereon from working the hanger loose during placement. This is considered to be an additional unnecessary cost feature, and the device according to the instant application is distinguished thereover by the provision of first and second members relatively detachable the first member fixedly supported by a hanging rod, the second member having rounded load bearing surfaces which while providing less friction in combination with the overall supporting mechanism can withstand deflections on installation without compromising the ability of the hanger to perform its supporting function. The hanger rod according to the instant application is not in and of itself an important design criteria for the instant application, other than it should be of adequate strength to support the overall weight of the system. Rather, the hanger rod should be suitably formed to accommodate the first member so that the first member in turn can support the second member as set forth hereinafter.
Similarly, the patent to Benno describes a known device which can be used either as a pipe stand or for hanging pipes. Thus, to perform adequately these duals roles, the resultant structure is comparatively more cumbersome and it is estimated would triple the cost of installing pipe as opposed to the apparatus according to the instant application. This hanger according to Benno also allows free movement of the pipe, and is constrained by means of plates 15 which are secured to a beam or ceiling.
Similarly, the patent to Jones diplays a known device in which a pipe hanger has a strap which underlies the pipe to be supported, and first and second pointed ends are provided adapted to be driven into wood or other structural members. The pointed ends can be rotated to engage the wood at different angles if necessary. Clearly therefore, this hanger is limited to be used with a wooden member which requires considerable adjustment and assemblage on a job site lending itself mainly for use in residental buildings and is not fashioned to be readily deployed in a commercial environment.
The patent to Habuda et al. teaches the use of a pipe hanging apparatus in which a threaded stud is disposed in depending relationship on a supporting surface, typically an I-beam fastened thereto my means of a thumb-screw type of clamp. Free ends of the hanger are required to be aligned in a specific fashion, which makes the on-job disposition of the hanging apparatus somewhat more cumbersome than the apparatus according to the instant application. The clamping mechanism is a relatively expensive mechanism whose use is restricted in attaching to a structural member such as an I-beam.
The patent to Krahe et al. is another prior art known device of the second type which allows free movement of the pipe and is adapted to support plural pipes which would provide complications especially if the pipes were of different diameters. Coupled with the threaded ends 9 as the job requires are suitably formed supporting openings which are difficult to align and, this device would not lend itself readily to rapid application as does the instant application.
By way of contrast, the instant application is directed to and provides a novel apparatus in which a pipe hanger is supported by a depending stud of a hanger rod, the hanger having a first member which is threaded upon the depending stud, the first member having laterally extending hook ends which freely emanate from the stud. The pipe hanger's second member is formed from an arcuate strap having linear portions extending upwardly towards and adapted to loop over the hooked ends of the first member, the second member being sufficiently resilient that an orienting deformation can occur with a minimal amount of effort. Thus, the first member forming the pipe hanger can be firmly attached to the depending stud without the limitations of supporting a pipe or threadedly engaging same, and thereafter the pipe can be easily supported and affixed to the first member by positioning the arcuate strap thereunder and hooking one end on the first member, and bending another terminal portion of the arcuate strap over a second hooked end for firmly affixing the members together.